The present invention relates to a thermometer device and a method of manufacturing a thermometer device.
Conventional thermometer devices are designed to sense the temperature of the desired object and display the temperature to the user. In some cases, the thermometer is preheated close to a target temperature (for example, the temperature of the human body) such that the time required to obtain the final temperature is minimized.
Such thermometers, while being fast and convenient to use, are generally difficult to manufacture, requiring intricate assembly steps that are time consuming and costly.
FIG. 1A illustrates a conventional thermometer device 100.
As shown in the figure, device 100 includes probe housing 102, probe 104, probe tip 110, flexible cable 106 and connector 108.
Probe tip 110 serves to sense the surrounding temperature. Probe tip 110 will be described in greater detail with reference to FIG. 1B. Probe 104 connects to probe tip 110 and probe housing 102. Probe 104 is typically manufactured from metal or any other material that is a good heat conductor. Probe housing 102 connects to flexible cable 106, and flexible cable 106 connects to connector 108.
In operation, when a practitioner desires to take the temperature of a patient, connector 108 is plugged into a display module (not shown) that is capable of reading and displaying the temperature at probe tip 110. When the display module is activated, probe tip 110 is preheated to a temperature close to the target temperature of the patient. For example, the target temperature may be 96.5° Fahrenheit. Once preheated, probe tip 110 is placed at the location from which the temperature reading is desired. The temperature at the desired location is transmitted from probe tip 110, to probe 104, to probe housing 102, to flexible cable 106, to connector 108 and finally to the display module, where the temperature is displayed to the practitioner.
FIG. 1B illustrates probe tip 110 of device 100.
Probe tip 110 includes a temperature sensor 112, sensor wires 114, a heating element 116 and heating element wires 118.
Temperature sensor 112 may be a thermistor, thermocouple or any other device that can accurately sense temperature in an area. Temperature sensor 112 is attached to the inside surface of probe tip 110, which is typically a labor-intensive process that requires very skilled workers and is not totally repeatable from one device to the next. The process is manual and requires an operator to use very small tools, so placing temperature sensor 112 in the same location, with the same surface area contact to probe tip 110 every time is very difficult and time consuming. Sensor wires 114 connect temperature sensor 112 to a control module (not shown) in probe housing 102.
Heating element 116 may be a resistor, etched foil, nichrome, or any other element that can rapidly heat a surface. Like temperature sensor 112, heating element 116 is also attached to the inside surface of probe tip 110, which again is typically a labor-intensive process that requires very skilled workers and is not totally repeatable from one device to the next. Heating element wires 118 connect heating element 116 to the control module (not shown) in probe housing 102.
In operation, when the connector 108 is plugged into the display module and the display module is powered on the control module in probe housing 102 provides power to heating element 116. As probe tip 110 begins to heat up, temperature sensor 112 relays temperature signals via sensor wires 114 to the control module. A feedback loop is thus created between the control module, heating element 116 and temperature sensor 112 such that probe tip 110 can be preheated to within a few degrees of an expected (normal) temperature and maintain that temperature until it is ready to use on a patient.
When it is ready for patient use, the practitioner will place probe tip 110 in the target area, and temperature sensor 112 will sense the surrounding temperature, which will typically be higher than the preheated temperature. The display module will continue to read data regarding the temperature of the target area until the temperature reading reaches a steady state, at which point probe tip 110 has reached the temperature of the target area. The display module will then display the temperature of the target area for the practitioner to read.
What is needed is a temperature sensing device that is simple to manufacture, has a manufacturing process that may be automated and that evenly and quickly preheats.